Apple could be looking into launching a TV dongle similar to Chromecast and Firestick

With rumors of an Apple streaming service coming soon, releasing a low-cost dongle could help boost the launch of that service.

The TV dongle has become rather popular due to its low cost and small size. You can get a TV dongle from Google, Amazon and Roku but Apple has curiously been missing from the category. Now, a new report says Apple may be considering an Apple TV dongle to compete with the likes of Chromecast, Firestick and Roku.

As reported by Variety via The Information, Apple could benefit greatly from such a small and low-cost device. With rumors of an Apple streaming service coming soon, releasing a low-cost dongle could help boost the launch of that service.

Apple does make a streaming device in the Apple TV but those are priced from $149USD and up, not everyone wants to pay that much. Currently, TV dongles from Google, Amazon and, Roku are priced from $24.99USD and up. Apple would absolutely need to be somewhere in the $29 to $49USD price range to pick up customers. Variety has a nice graph from Parks Associates that shows streaming media player sales.

Cheaper prices have helped competitors like Roku and Amazon to easily outsell Apple in the TV space. Market research company Parks Associates reported earlier this year that Roku’s market share for streaming devices was 37%, with Amazon coming in second at 28%. Apple ranked third with just around 15%.

CREDIT: Courtesy of Parks Associates

Apple has declined to comment on the report and there’s no verification if an Apple TV dongle will even happen. But it could likely happen, especially if the company wants to jump into the streaming business to compete against Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu. If Apple does make a dongle, we’re sure they’ll tout that they have complete control end-to-end making it more secure than the competition. Of course, that’s just speculation but we also know how Apple loves to control their products.

What do you think of a possible Apple TV dongle? Would you buy one? Let us know in the comments below or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.

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